rj.eyeoftheworld-第135节

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　the　Wheel　wills；　and　even　the　Dark　One　cannot　change　that；　not　with　Moiraine　to　watch　over　you。　But　we　had　better　find　your　friends　soon。〃
　　　　　　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　　　　　　　〃They　have　no　Aes　Sedai　touching　the　True　Source　to　protect　them。　Blacksmith；　perhaps　the　walls　have　weakened　enough　for　the　Dark　One　himself　to　touch　events。　Not　with　a　free　hand；　or　we'd　be　done　already；　but　maybe　tiny　shiftings　in　the　threads。　A　chance　turning　of　one　corner　instead　of　another；　a　chance　meeting；　a　chance　word；　or　what　seems　like　chance；　and　they　could　be　so　far　under　the　Shadow　not　even　Moiraine　could　bring　them　back。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　have　to　find　them；〃　Perrin　said；　and　the　Warder　gave　a　grunt　of　a　laugh。
　　　　　　　〃What　have　I　been　saying？　Get　some　sleep；　blacksmith。〃　Lan's　cloak　swung　back　around　him　as　he　stood。　In　the　faint　light　from　fire　and　moon　he　seemed　almost　part　of　the　shadows　beyond。　〃We　have　a　hard　few　days　to　Caemlyn。　Just　you　pray　we　find　them　there。〃
　　　　　　　〃But　Moiraine　。。。　she　can　find　them　anywhere；　can't　she？　She　says　she　can。〃
　　　　　　　〃But　can　she　find　them　in　time？　If　the　Dark　One　is　strong　enough　to　take　a　hand　himself；　time　is　running　out。　You　pray　we　find　them　in　Caemlyn；　blacksmith；　or　we　may　all　be　lost。〃

Chapter　39
Weaving　of　the　Web
　
　　　　　　　Rand　looked　down　on　the　crowds　from　the　high　window　of　his　room　in　The　Queen's　Blessing。　They　ran　shouting　along　the　street；　all　streaming　in　the　same　direction；　waving　pennants　and　banners；　the　white　lion　standing　guard　on　a　thousand　fields　of　red。　Caemlyners　and　outlanders；　they　ran　together；　and　for　a　change　no　one　appeared　to　want　to　bash　anyone　else's　head。　Today；　maybe；　there　was　only　one　faction。
　　　　　　　He　turned　from　the　window　grinning。　Next　to　the　day　when　Egwene　and　Perrin　walked　in；　alive　and　laughing　over　what　they　had　seen；　this　was　the　day　he　had　been　waiting　for　most。
　　　　　　　〃Are　you　ing？〃　he　asked　again。
　　　　　　　Mat　glowered　from　where　he　lay　curled　up　in　a　ball　on　his　bed。　〃Take　that　Trolloc　you're　so　friendly　with。〃
　　　　　　　〃Blood　and　ashes；　Mat；　he's　not　a　Trolloc。　You're　just　being　stubborn　stupid。　How　many　times　do　you　want　to　have　this　argument？　Light；　it's　not　as　if　you'd　never　heard　of　Ogier　before。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　never　heard　they　looked　like　Trollocs。〃　Mat　pushed　his　face　into　his　pillow　and　curled　himself　tighter。
　　　　　　　〃Stubborn　stupid；〃　Rand　muttered。　〃How　long　are　you　going　to　hide　up　here？　I'm　not　going　to　keep　bringing　you　your　meals　up　all　those　stairs　forever。　You　could　do　with　a　bath；　too。〃　Mat　shrugged　around　on　the　bed　as　if　he　were　trying　to　burrow　deeper　into　it。　Rand　sighed；　then　went　to　the　door。　〃Last　chance　to　go　together；　Mat。　I'm　leaving　now。〃　He　closed　the　door　slowly；　hoping　that　Mat　would　change　his　mind；　but　his　friend　did　not　stir。　The　door　clicked　shut。
　　　　　　　In　the　hallway；　he　leaned　against　the　doorframe。　Master　Gill　said　there　was　an　old　woman　two　streets　over；　Mother　Grubb；　who　sold　herbs　and　poultices；　besides　birthing　babies；　tending　the　sick；　and　telling　fortunes。　She　sounded　a　little　like　a　Wisdom。　Nynaeve　was　who　Mat　needed；　or　maybe　Moiraine；　but　Mother　Grubb　was　who　he　had。　Bringing　her　to　The　Queen's　Blessing　might　bring　the　wrong　kind　of　attention　as　well；　though；　if　she　would　even　e。　For　her　as　well　as　for　Mat　and　him。
　　　　　　　Herbalists　and　hedge…doctors　were　lying　low　in　Caemlyn　right　now；　there　was　talk　against　anyone　who　did　any　kind　of　healing；　or　fortunetelling。　Every　night　the　Dragon's　Fang　was　scrawled　on　doors　with　a　free　hand；　sometimes　even　in　the　daylight；　and　people　might　forget　who　had　cured　their　fevers　and　poulticed　their　toothaches　when　the　cry　of　Darkfriend　went　up。　That　was　the　temper　in　the　city。
　　　　　　　It　was　not　as　if　Mat　were　really　sick。　He　ate　everything　Rand　carried　up　from　the　kitchen　…　he　would　take　nothing　from　anyone　else's　hand；　though　…　and　never　plained　about　aches　or　fever。　He　just　refused　to　leave　the　room。　But　Rand　had　been　sure　today　would　bring　him　out。
　　　　　　　He　settled　his　cloak　on　his　shoulders　and　hitched　his　sword　belt　around　so　the　sword；　and　the　red　cloth　wrapped　around　it；　was　covered　more。
　　　　　　　At　the　foot　of　the　stairs　he　met　Master　Gill　just　starting　up。　〃There's　someone　been　asking　after　you　in　the　city；〃　the　innkeeper　said　around　his　pipe。　Rand　felt　a　surge　of　hope。　〃Asking　after　you　and　those　friends　of　yours；　by　name。　You　younglings；　anyway。　Seems　to　want　you　three　lads　most。　〃
　　　　　　　Anxiety　replaced　hope。　〃Who？〃　Rand　asked。　He　still　could　not　help　glancing　up　and　down　the　hall。　Except　for　they　two；　it　was　empty；　from　the　exit　into　the　alley　to　the　mon　room　door。
　　　　　　　〃Don't　know　his　name。　Just　heard　about　him。　I　hear　most　things　in　Caemlyn；　eventually。　Beggar。〃　The　innkeeper　grunted。　〃Half　mad；　I　hear。　Even　so；　he　could　take　the　Queen's　Bounty　at　the　Palace；　even　with　things　as　hard　as　they　are。　On　High　Days；　the　Queen　gives　it　out　with　her　own　hands；　and　there's　never　anyone　turned　away　for　any　reason。　No　one　needs　to　beg　in　Caemlyn。　Even　a　man　under　warrant　can't　be　arrested　while　he's　taking　the　Queen's　Bounty。〃
　　　　　　　〃A　Darkfriend？〃　Rand　said　reluctantly。　If　the　Darkfriends　know　our　names。。。
　　　　　　　〃You've　got　Darkfriends　on　the　brain；　young　fellow。　They're　around；　certainly；　but　just　because　the　Whitecloaks　have　everybody　stirred　up　is　no　reason　for　you　to　think　the　city's　full　of　them。　Do　you　know　what　rumor　those　idiots　have　started　now？　'Strange　shapes。'　Can　you　believe　it？　Strange　shapes　creeping　around　outside　the　city　in　the　night。〃　The　innkeeper　chuckled　till　his　belly　shook。
　　　　　　　Rand　did　not　feel　like　laughing。　Hyam　Kinch　had　talked　about　strange　shapes；　and　there　had　surely　enough　been　a　Fade　back　there。　〃What　kind　of　shapes？〃
　　　　　　　〃What　kind？　I　don't　know　what　kind。　Strange　shapes。　Trollocs；　probably。　The　Shadowman。　Lews　Therin　Kinslayer　himself；　e　back　fifty　feet　high。　What　kind　of　shapes　do　you　think　people　will　imagine　now　the　idea's　in　their　heads？　It's　none　of　our　worry。〃　Master　Gill　eyed　him　for　a　moment。　〃Going　out；　are　you？　Well；　I　can't　say　I　care　for　it；　myself；　even　today；　but　there's　hardly　anybody　left　here　but　me。　Not　your　friend？〃
　　　　　　　〃Mat's　not　feeling　very　well。　Maybe　later。〃
　　　　　　　〃Well；　be　that　as　it　may。　You　watch　yourself；　now。　Even　today　good　Queen's　men　will　be　outnumbered　out　there；　Light　burn　the　day　I　ever　thought　to　see　it　so。　Best　you　leave　by　the　alleyway。　There's　two　of　those　blood…be…damned　traitors　sitting　across　the　street　watching　my　front　door。　They　know　where　I　stand；　by　the　Light！〃
　　　　　　　Rand　stuck　his　head　out　and　looked　both　ways　before　slipping　into　the　alley。　A　bulky　man　Master　Gill　had　hired　stood　at　the　head　of　the　alley；　leaning　on　a　spear　and　watching　the　people　run　past　with　an　apparent　lack　of　interest。　It　was　only　apparent；　Rand　knew。　The　fellow　…　his　name　was　Lamgwin　…　saw　everything　through　those　heavy…lidded　eyes；　and　for　all　his　bullish　bulk　he　could　move　like　a　cat。　He　also　thought　Queen　Morgase　was　the　Light　made　flesh；　or　near　enough。　There　were　a　dozen　like　him　scattered　around　The　Queen's　Blessing。
　　　　　　　Lamgwin's　ear　twitched　when　Rand　reached　the　mouth　of　the　alley；　but　he　never　took　his　disinterest　off　the　street。　Rand　knew　the　man　had　heard　him　ing。
　　　　　　　〃Watch　your　back　today；　man。〃　Lamgwin's　voice　sounded　like　gravel　in　a　pan。　〃When　the　trouble　starts；　you'll　be　a　handy　one　to　have　here；　not　somewhere　with　a　knife　in　your　back。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　glanced　at　the　blocky　man；　but　his　surprise　was　muted。　He　always　tried　to　keep　the　sword　out　of　sight；　but　this　was　not　the　first　time　one　of　Master　Gill's　men　had　assumed　he　would　know　his　way　in　a　fight。　Lamgwin　did　not　look　back　at　him。　The　man's　job　was　guarding　the　inn；　and　he　did　it。
　　　　　　　Pushing　his　sword　back　a　little　further　under　his　cloak；　Rand　joined　the　flow　of　people。　He　saw　the　two　men　the　innkeeper　had　mentioned；　standing　on　upturned　barrels　across　the　street　from　the　inn　so　they　could　see　over　the　crowd。　He　did　not　think　they　noticed　him　ing　out　of　the　alley。　They　made　no　secret　of　their　allegiance。　Not　only　were　their　swords　wrapped　in　white　tied　with　red；　they　wore　white　armbands　and　white　cockades　on　their　hats。
　　　　　　　He　had　not　been　in　Caemlyn　long　before　learning　that　red　wrappings　on　a　sword；　or　a　red　armband　or　cockade；　meant　support　for　Queen　Morgase。　White　said　the　Queen　and　her　involvement　with　Aes　Sedai　and　Tar　Valon　were　to　blame　for　everything　that　had　gone　wrong。　For　the　weather；　and　the　failed　crops。　Maybe　even　for　the　false　Dragon。
　　　　　　　He　did　not　want　to　get　involved　in　Caemlyn　politics。　Only；　it　was　too　late；　now。　It　was　not　just　that　he　had　already　chosen　…　by　accident；　but　there　it　was。　Matters　in　the　city　had　gone　beyond　letting　anyone　stay　neutral。　Even　outlanders　wore　cockades　and　armbands；　or　wrapped　their　swords；　and　more　wore　the　white　than　the　red。　Maybe　some　of　them　did　not　think　that　way；　but　they　were　far　from　home　and　that　was　the　way　sentiment　was　running　in　Caemlyn。　Men　who　supported　the　Queen　went　about　in　groups　for　their　own　protection；　when　they　went　out　at　all。
　　　　　　　Today；　though；　it　was　different。　On　the　surface；　at　least。　Today；　Caemlyn　celebrated　a　victory　of　the　Light　over　the　Shadow。　Today　the　false　Dragon　was　being　brought　into　the　city；　to　b